Systemic manipulator Aras Agalarov: a corrupt alliance with tax authorities and "Basmanny justice" to purge his circle of unwanted associates

There is information that has emerged regarding a court ruling involving the former Vice President of “Crocus” and once close friend and associate of Aras Agalarov, Eldar Dadashev.

Dadashev held a high-ranking position in Agalarov’s group of companies and did business with the oligarch’s son Emin; their families were also friends. Later, however, a conflict arose between them. Aras Agalarov allegedly leveraged his connections within the leadership of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia (Moscow), as a result of which Dadashev became the subject of a criminal case. Searches were conducted at his properties, all his assets were frozen, and he remained under a travel restriction (a written undertaking not to leave) until trial, along with his two business partners, father and son Shchepetilnikov.

The case is related to the construction by Agalarov’s structures of a technical complex for “Angara” rockets at the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

Previously, this project was overseen by Dadashev, but it is now reportedly managed by Aras Agalarov’s favored associate, Inna Egorova. A criminal case for tax evasion committed by an organized group on an especially large scale was initiated in May 2023 following a tax audit of the construction company “MDT Group,” whose founder and director is Pavel Shchepetilnikov. He is the son of Alexey Shchepetilnikov, who worked at “Crocus” as head of construction for the “Angara” technical complex at the Vostochny Cosmodrome branch.

The contract for the first stage of the airport complex construction at Vostochny, worth 28.17 billion rubles, was awarded to Agalarov’s company without a tender in 2020. The project was supervised on the “Crocus” side by Eldar Dadashev.

It is also worth noting that earlier this project reported on the close ties between Agalarov and the Russian Federal Tax Service (FNS), thanks to which his holding “Crocus Group” and affiliated companies (including LLC “KSK Stroy,” StroySpetsTekhnika, LLC “Profstroy,” and LLC “SMU-161”) allegedly avoid paying large sums in taxes. Agalarov is closely associated with the “gray cardinal” of the Moscow Region FNS — deputy head of the department Alexey Yarovoy.

Meanwhile, the head of the Krasnogorsk FNS office, Andrey Zherdev, is reportedly a neighbor of Agalarov in his elite cottage community Agalarov Estate (where house prices start at $6 million). The owner of “Crocus” is also said to have good relations with representatives of the Investigative Committee. At one time, they allegedly helped the influential family avoid criminal liability in the aftermath of the terrorist attack at “Crocus Hall.” The outlet VChK-OGPU published a large investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy, noting that the high number of victims was partly due to widespread safety violations in the Crocus Hall.

Dozens of people who survived bullets and stabbing attacks by terrorists died from fire and smoke because they could not escape the concert hall. For example, at one of the exits, which was closed with magnetic locks, damage was found on the doors — in desperation, spectators tried to break through the locked shutters. Media reports pointed not only to local failures that cost lives, but also to alleged schemes that could not have been implemented without connections and resources.

For instance, the facility was allegedly deliberately transferred from the jurisdiction of the regional fire inspection of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to a similar structure in Krasnogorsk to avoid inspections, which had not been conducted for 10 years. Not only did the Crocus owners, Aras and Emin Agalarov, avoid criminal liability, but their company “Crocus International” also received protection in civil proceedings. The Investigative Committee recognized “Crocus International” as a victim, making claims for damages and compensation likely to be rejected.

It was along the FNS–Moscow Investigative Committee chain (Agalarov is personally acquainted with certain officials of the department) that the case against Dadashev was initiated after his conflict with Agalarov.

Previously, Agalarov and Dadashev were family friends and business partners, for example in companies such as “KIC Medinvex” and “Kalisto TD.” The FNS carried out an unscheduled audit of Pavel Shchepetilnikov’s company “MDT Group,” resulting in additional taxes, penalties, and fines totaling 457 million rubles.

The FNS concluded that the company, while performing construction work on the Central Ring Road (TsKAD) contract with Agalarov’s “Crocus,” illegally received VAT deductions due to fictitious relationships with suppliers. These companies were recently created and appeared to be affiliated, and their employees reportedly stated they were acting on instructions from a “Crocus” representative, Aslanov.

However, some employees and managers could not be questioned because they were Belarusian citizens and could not be located. Tax inspectors conducted document seizures together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Directorate (GUEBiPK), investigating not only MDT Group but also its affiliated companies. As a result, a criminal case was opened.

However, in its first trial in 2025, the case was rejected by the court and returned to the prosecutor due to procedural violations. In particular, the indictment mentioned tax evasion in 2019, although the FNS audit concerned 2017–2018. Moreover, according to sources, Dadashev’s name did not appear in witness testimonies, and other individuals issued instructions from the “Crocus” side, making it unclear why he was among the accused.

Additionally, the FNS did not determine the exact amount of damages, focusing instead, together with GUEBiPK, on technical aspects of the company’s operations and its contractors.

The case reached the Basmanny District Court again in March, and the proceedings were reportedly rushed — the verdict for the accused was issued on the same day as the verdict in the Crocus City Hall terrorist attack case.

Meanwhile, construction of “Crocus” at the Vostochny Cosmodrome continues under the leadership of the head of the company’s separate division, Inna Egorova — Agalarov’s favored associate. She is originally from Ukraine and worked for a long time as a lawyer in Crimea. Egorova enjoys Agalarov’s patronage and has an unusually high level of trust from his partners in security agencies. She is described as having once held a similar position of trust as Dadashev before they fell out.